Editorials

Paving project a job well done

August 20, 2010

For a change, it's good to see residents pleased with how a municipal project was carried out. We're referring to the generally positive reaction Shepherdstown residents had to the recent paving projects going on throughout the town.

Too often, a failure to simply communicate causes consternation among residents and generates friction between them and officials.

This was not the case in Shepherdstown. Town leaders took the time to communicate what projects were forthcoming and how those projects might interfere with residents' regular routines.

"We had good advance notice," West High Street resident Sonja Evanisko said, adding that Kenny Shipley, who oversaw the paving job, deserved extra praise for his efforts.

"There's nothing bad to say," Effe Kallas of West New Street told The Chronicle, reporting no significant disruptions.

"It wasn't even that much of an inconvenience," West New Street resident Alex Tice added.

The end result: Everyone is happy. Well, almost everyone.

There were some critical comments about asphalt curbs that had to be improvised to level out the street. Nothing is perfect.

The three-week project - milling and paving several blocks of five streets - cost about $175,000 and was funded with Shepherdstown's share of video lottery revenues.